As I have had the joy, pleasure and honor to teach class about Happiness THREE times per week, I have had noticiable results in my own life.  I thought I was a pretty happy person to begin with!  They say the most effective way to retain information is to teach it – so here I am!  And I am LOVING it!  Tonight, in Happiness 101 we did an exercise in which we thought of that time in our life when we laughed so hard we cried or our sides ached.  So, we thought of that moment, then forced ourselves (at first) to laugh.  It quickly turned into genuine laughter.  It was SO great!  From a biological level, the body does not care if you are really laughing or forcing yourself.  It releases endorphins (happy chemicals) into your body just the same.  I have been focusing a lot on reducing the number of times I complain (out loud or in my head). The average person complains 70 times a day!  Last night I had a wonderful affirmation that I am on the right path.  My mother-in-law came to stay and unbeknownst to myself, was ribbing my wife everytime she complained, exclaiming “Happiness 101!  Happiness 101!”   So, my mother-in-law had planned on doing the same to me as soon as I complained.  We all played a game of cards and she never got her chance to tease me.  I did not complain once!!  I know that even times when I am tempted to complain in my head, I am consciously thinking positive affirmations to ward off the negative thoughts.  I don’t know what the specific count is, but I think I’m winning.

~Frank 

P.S.  ‘Still caffeine free and sleep is starting to improve